Cutting device



July 6 G. E. MCGRATH cuTnNebsvIcE Filed Jan. 15, 1925 Patented July 6,1926.

GEORGE E. 'MCGRATH,

PATENT oF Fr-c OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

CUTTING DEVICE.

Application .filed January This invention relates to improvements incutting devices particularly adapted,

though not necessarily limited in its use for cutting and looseningdeposits and for- 5 eign matters in conduits or pipes such as sewers orthe like, to facilitate the removal of such deposits, and one oftheobjects of the invention is to provide an improved cutter of .thischaracter adapted to be drawn 3 through the pipe and which cutter willbe automatically axially rotated to effect the cutting operation, by theaction of the contents of' the pipe upon the cutter.

A further object is to provide an im- 5 proved cutter of this characterembodying .a series of spaced cutter elements connected together so asto rotate independently with respect toeach other, the cutterssuccessively increasing in size from. one end of the series to the otherend thereof.

To the attainment of these ends and the accomplishment ofother new andusefulobjects as will appear, the invention consists in the features ofnovelty in substantially the construction and in .the'combination andarrangement of the several parts hereinafter more fully described andclaimed and shown in the accompanying drawing illustrating thisinvention and in which draw- Figure 1, is a top plan view .of a seriesof cutters showing them in position in a pipe or conduit, the latterbeing in horizontal section.

5 Figure 2, is a detail sectional view on line 2-2 Figure 4.

Figure 3, is an end elevation of one of the cutter elements.

Figure 4, is an assembled View of portions 0 of the cutter element.

Figure 5, is a detail sectional view on line 5-5 Figure 4.

Figure 6, is a view partly in elevation and partly in section of amodified form of 5 cutter.

Each of the cutter elements consists of end members 11, preferably ofdisc like formation and they are provided with a number of radiallyarranged slots 12 extending through the periphery of the disc andterminating short of the center of the disc.

An eye bolt 13 is swiveled in each of the end members and to the bolts13 may be secured a flexible connection such as a cable,

15, 1925. :Serial No. 2,605.

chain, or the like for connecting the cu tors in series or tandem. The.ifiexible element which .-is connected with the front end of theforemost cutter serves :as a means for drawing thecutter through thepipe or conduit 14. e

A plurality of cutter blades 15 are provided between the ends 'of thecutter, and the portion of the blades adjacent the ends thereof are of asize and configuration to fit within the respective .slots Theextremities of .the blades are deflected or bent over as at 16 againstthe outer faces of the discs 10-11 :and may be fastened by means of asuitable fastening device 17. i

V The blades 15 may be of any desired length and are preferablyrectangular in cross section andare spirally twisted'so that one end ofthe blade will be secured .to one of the heads substantially-at aright'ran le to 16 the pomtat w-hich-theaother end of the. lade 1ssecured to the other head.

7 One edge of the blade is beveled or shaped to form .a cutting edge 18and the cutting edge is exposed throughout the length of the blade andis also spirally shaped from one end -of the blade to the other endthereof. a

With this improvement it will be manifest thatwhen the cutting elementis drawn 3 through the pipe or conduit the cutter will be rotated by theengagement f the blades thereof with "the material in the pipe, owing tothe fact that the spiral twist of the blades will cause an axialrotation to be imparted to the cutter, the swivel bolts 13 permitting afree rotation of the elements.

In use a plurality ofthese elements are connected one to the other bymeans of a flexible member 19, such as a chain or cable and arepreferably spaced from each other for a considerable distance. Thecutters are preferably arranged so that they will in crease 1n size fromthe forward to the rear end of the series of cutters, each cutterrotatmg independently of the other.

After the cutter has been drawn through the pipe or conduit, thematerial or deposit will be cut and to such an extent that it may bereadily removed by flushing the pipe or otherwise.

In Figure 6, there is shown another form of the invention in which thecutter 20 is rovided with a shaft 21 projecting laterally beyond itsfaces and which shaft terminates preferably in eyes 22 to which thecable or chain is connected for drawing the cutter through the pipe.

Blades 23 are spirally shaped to form spinner elements which areconnected to the shaft 21 on each side of the cutter and by means ofwhich blades 23 the cutter will be axially rotated during the progressthrough the pipe, by the engagement of the blades 23 with the materialin the pipe.

\Vhile the preferred forms of the invention have been herein shown anddescribed, it is to be understood that Various changes may be made inthe details of construction and in the combination and arrangement ofthe various parts", within the scope of the claims, without departingfrom the spirit of this invention.

What is claimed as new is 1. A cutter of the character describedincluding spaced heads, a swivel bolt connected with one of the heads,and cutter blades, the ends of the blades being secured to therespective heads and spirally twisted in a direction from one of theheads to the other head, one edge of the spirally shaped blade beingshaped to form a cutting edge, the said cutter being axially rotatedwith respect to the said swivel bolt by engagement of the cutter bladeswith the material in the pipe as the cutter element is advanced in thepipe.

' 2. A cutter of the character described adapted to be moved through apipe or conduit and embodying spaced heads, cutter blades secured bytheir extremities to the respective heads,'said blades being spirallytwisted in a dire'ction lengthwise thereof and from one of the saidheads to the other head, and eyelike members individual to and swiveledin each of the heads of the cutter and projecting therebeyond, the saidblades operating t9 axially rotate the entire cutter element withrespect to the said eyelike members, by engagement with the material inthe pipe as the cutter element is advanced in the pipe.

3. A cutter of the character described including a plurality of cutterelements spaced from each other and arranged in tandem, eyelike membersswiveled to the ends of each of the cutter elements, the said eyelikemembers of the respective cutter elements being independent 01": eachother, said cutter elements embodying longitudinally twisted blades,said blades operating to axially rotate the respective elements withrelation to the said eyelike members by contact with the material in thepipe as the cutter is drawn through the pipe, and flexible membersconnecting proximate eyelike members on the adjacent ends of the cutterelements.

4. A cutter of the character described including a plurality of cutterelements spaced from each other, eyelike members swiveled to the ends ofeach of the cutter elements, the said eyelike members of the respectivecutter elements being independent of each other, said cutter elementsembodying longitudinally twisted blades, said blades operating toaxially rotate the re spective elements with relation to the saideyelike members by contact with the material in the pipe as the cutteris drawn through the pipe, and flexible members connecting proximateeyelike members on the adjacent ends of the cutter elements, the saidcutter elements being arranged in tandem, each of the cutter elementsbeing of a different size than the next adjacent cutter element.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, onthis 12th day of January, A. D. 1925.

GEO. E. MOGRATH,

